A total of 19 teams have qualified for the group stage of the 2023/24 Champions League with 13 more to join either directly or from the qualifying round.
Manchester City and Inter will compete in the final of this season’s Champions League in Istanbul on 10th June 2023 but preparation has already begun for the new one. City themselves have already booked their spot by winning the Premier League while the Nerazzurri have also secured their place in next season’s Champions League group stage with a top-four finish in Serie A. The final will be played
The four teams from England are confirmed as well as Germany, Spain, Italy and France with the 2022/23 club season drawing its curtains. Domestic league title winners from Scotland, Netherlands, Serbia and Austria have all made it to the group stages of the 2023/24 Champions League season. Russia has been banned from the competition due to the invasion of Ukraine while Liechtenstein doesn’t have a football league.
The 2023/24 Champions League will be the last time the competition is going to be played in the existing format. From the 2024/25 season onwards, a new revamp format will be implemented. The decision for the same was taken by UEFA in the year 2021. Also, the teams will increase from 32 to 36. In place of the group stages, the tournament will operate in a ‘Swiss Model’ with clubs playing eight matches instead of the existing six. The knockout stages will remain the same.
2023/24 Champions League qualified teams in the group stage
Overall, 24 teams have qualified for the 2023/24 Champions League group stages. Eight more will join them in the draw at the end of August from the qualifying matches. Starting with the preliminary rounds that will take place on 27 June 2023. The final teams will be decided after the two-legged playoffs on 22/23 and 29/30 August 2023.
England: Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United
Manchester City lifted the Premier League title for the sixth time in their history and three in a row. They will be joined by runners-up Arsenal who are making a return to the Champions League after five years. Manchester United also qualified after a season's absence while Newcastle United are making the group stages for the first time since 2003.
Spain: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad, Sevilla
After a three-season wait, Barcelona took themselves to the summit of Spanish football again by winning the La Liga. The Catalan giants will make the group stages of the 2023/24 Champions League along with rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Real Sociedad are also returning to the stage after nine years. Europa League winners for record-extending seventh time, Sevilla will be the fifth side from Spain to make the group stages.
Germany: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Union Berlin
Bayern Munich claim their 11th straight Bundesliga title in high drama overtaking Borussia Dortmund who slipped on the final day. However, the Black and Yellow will play the Champions League again. DFB Pokal winners RB Leipzig also sealed their qualification in style but the real fairy tale story is for Union Berlin who has made it to the premier competition for the very first time in their history.
Italy: Napoli, Lazio, Inter, Milan
Serie A winners after 33 years, Napoli will like to reflect on their exciting Champions League season of last term. Joining them from Italy are Lazio and the two clubs from the city of Milan. All three benefitted from the 10-point deduction of Juventus imposed by the court towards the end of the season due to the false accounting case. The Rossoneri beat the Turin giants in the penultimate league match of the season to seal their spot.
France: Paris Saint-Germain, Lens
PSG were crowned Ligue 1 winners for a record 11th time surpassing Saint-Etienne’s record of 10 this season. They have made it to the Champions League 16 times. Another spectacular story is of newcomer RC Lens who finished second in the table, just a point away from PSG, to enter the competition. Franck Haise’s side beat the likes of Monaco, Lille, Rennes and Marseille for the place.
Scotland: Celtic
Celtic once again dominated the Scottish Premiership or SPFL, winning the top division for the 53rd time. After winning the Scottish Cup and League Cup they made it eight trebles in their history, more than any other side in Europe. The Hoops will play in the group stages of the Champions League for consecutive seasons.
Portugal: Benfica, Porto
Benfica won the Portuguese Primeira Liga for the first time after the 2018/19 season and they will be joined by rivals FC Porto in the group stages of the Champions League next season.
Netherlands: Feyenoord
Arne Slot’s Feyenoord broke Ajax’s dominance in the Netherlands by claiming their first Eredivisie title after six years and also helping them qualify for the Champions League. They could be the sole representative from the nation if PSV Eindhoven fail to make it out of the qualifiers.
Serbia: Red Star Belgrade
Eight consecutive-time Serbian league winner, Red Star Belgrade have qualified for the 2023/24 Champions.
Austria: RB Salzburg
Salzburg’s dominance also continued in Austria as they grab another league title. The side managed by Matthias Jaissle will field more talents on the pitch at the continental level as they do each time.
2023/24 Champions League group stage dates
The group stage draw for the 2023/24 Champions League will take place on 31 August 2023 after the qualifiers have ended. The opening games of the 2023/24 Champions League group stage are scheduled on the 19th and 20th of September 2023.
Group Stage Draw: 31 August 2023
Matchday 1: September 19/20
Matchday 2: October 3/4
Matchday 3: October 24/25
Matchday 4: November 7/8
Matchday 5: November 28/29
Matchday 6: December 12/13
2023/24 Champions League Knockout dates
The knockout rounds begin in the usual time of February next year. The final of the 2023/24 Champions League will take place at the Wembley Stadium in London on June 1, 2024.
Round of 16: 13/14/20/21 February 2024 and 5/6/12/13 March 2024
Quarter-finals: 9/10 and 16/17 April 2024
Semi-finals: 30 April 2024/1 May 2024 and 7/8 May 2024
Final: 1 June 2024
2023/24 Champions League Pots
The seeding pots of the 2023/24 Champions League are also confirmed with the final on Istanbul still to play on Saturday, 10 June 2023. Holders so far, Real Madrid will move from Pot 1 to Pot 2 and Feyenoord will take the place in first pot if Manchester City, also the Premier League Champions League, lift the trophy this season. Inter will also go into Pot 1 from Pot 2 should they claim the title. Six more teams will join the group stages from the qualification rounds and will go straight into Pot 4 alongside Union Berlin and RC lens.
Pot 1
Real Madrid
Sevilla
Manchester City
Barcelona
Bayern München
Paris Saint-Germain
Napoli
Benfica
Pot 2
Feyenoord
Manchester United
Borussia Dortmund
Atletico Madrid
RB Leipzig
Porto
Arsenal
Inter
Pot 3
Newcastle United
RB Salzburg
Milan
Lazio
Red Star Belgrade
Shakhtar Donetsk
Real Sociedad
Celtic
Pot 4
Union Berlin
Lens
